Patagonia Road Trip

Patagonia was a bucket-list destination. Wild mountains, massive glaciers, raging rivers, fjords, turquoise lakes, and the famous spires of Torres Del Paine and Fitz Roy. Yes please. We spent 42 nights sleeping in a compact SUV, car-camping our way through Chile and Argentina. Here I was thinking that Van Life made A & I close. This was next level! 

There are various options for experiencing this incredible region, from busses, biking, hitchhiking and large rental rigs. We knew we wanted the flexibility and freedom of our own vehicle, but campervans were incredibly expensive. Instead, we worked with a car rental company in Puerto Montt (where we began our excursion). We spent $3,400 for a 7-week rental. Considering our vehicle doubled as accommodation, $70 a day was a bargain since most Airbnb’s and guesthouses in Chile were charging anywhere from $80-$150 per night. We were shocked by how expensive Chile was and wished we’d brought some of our own camping gear to offset the cost of purchasing everything to outfit Patty (our new home for the next month and a half). 

Puerto Montt hosts the start of the Carretera Austral, a famous road through Chilean Patagonia that offers incredible views, wild terrain, glaciers, waterfalls, rugged fjords and more. Built during the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet in the late 1970’s, it’s become world famous for road-tripping. After two days of shopping all over Puerto Montt for camping gear, groceries and bedding, we couldn’t wait to hit the pavement. 

Two ferries separated us from Chaiten (which we felt was the real start of our trip), we had rainy weather and were stuck inside the car the first few days. That first week, A & I tried to sleep side-by-side, but with the tight trunk, our shoulders pinned each other in place, neither of us slept well. With the rain, cold, and inability to even cook on our camp stove outside the car…we got off to a rough start. Why did we rent this thing for 7 weeks? What were we thinking? We said a prayer for sunshine and headed south on Ruta 7.

We listened to Bono’s memoir as the sun made her appearance. We filled our water jugs with cold, delicious water that cascaded down the mountainside. Giving up on romantic ideas of sleeping side-by-side, we went foot-to-head and finally found an arrangement that offered a good night of rest. Whew. Thanks to iOverlander (which we also use in the States) we found some of the most incredible free campsites I’ve ever experienced. 

In Futaleufu, we hit one of the best white water rafting rivers in the world (a highlight of our trip). We picked up hitchhikers from all over and made friends with other travelers. We raced Nandu’s, spotted countless Guanacao and soaring Andean Condors. Experiencing the Perito Moreno glacier was spectacular, as was glimpsing Fitz Roy on a crystal-clear morning. We hiked to Mirador Las Torres in Torres Del Paine and I hiked Laguna de Los Tres to the base of Fitz Roy—an incredibly gorgeous trek, even though the top of the peak hid behind clouds, the turquoise glacial lakes were mesmerizing. We had the best ice cream of our lives at a chocolate shop in Bariloche. We slept under the glow of an active volcano in Pucon. We fell in love with sweet dogs everywhere we went. We bathed in freezing, turquoise rivers, cooked on sandy banks, and nestled into Patty when it grew too dark. Ending our days with reading or watching Shrinking and Shantaram on AppleTV. We took a break from car-camping when it got too cold, splurging for a hotel, and taking turns to run a hot bath—our own kind of baptism. In Patagonia National Park, I hiked along a ridge that was hit with such strong gusts of wind, they knocked me off my feet. 

The winds of Patagonia are truly something to behold. I have NEVER experienced anything like it. In Argentina, blasts were so powerful, I couldn’t open the car door. We read about rocks flying through the air and breaking windows, busses being bowled over, even hikers who got picked up and thrown off the trail in Torres Del Paine. Forget about trying to cook on a camp stove. Cereal for dinner?

While we enjoyed the Carretera, we loved Argentina. Our unofficial “blue dollar rate” stretched each dollar to almost double the official exchange rate! In Chile, a tank of gas was $70, in Argentina it was $12. In Chile, a shower was $5, in Argentina it was $1. In Chile, groceries and eating out were more expensive than in the U.S In Argentina, we practically bought-out a gluten free bakery for $10 and A bought a slab of rib-eye steaks for $2. Safe to say, we made the most of our currency privilege. 

And while it was the experience of a lifetime, car camping felt incredibly similar to Van Life. We spent countless hours outside, reading, journaling, doing yoga. Some of my favorite moments were had enjoying a gorgeous campsite, bathing in frigid water, lying out for the sun to warm my bones, watching the sky change. The simple moments. And while I loved our little Patty, I missed our van (Rudy) back home. I missed a mattress. Lying side-by-side with A. I missed running water and a refrigerator. I missed pooping in a real toilet. So yes, when we got back to Rudy it felt like a mansion. Like luxury. It made me appreciate our alternative lifestyle even more. 

What a way to experience Patagonia. We made memoires squeezed into that little SUV I’ll be sure to treasure for the rest of my life. I’m so grateful for the opportunities we have to travel the world and also live the way we do. And while we were sad to say goodbye, our beloved Rudy was patiently waiting for our next Van Life adventure. 

Watch our adventure unfold:

The sound of a car door closing and opening as we make or break up camp. Propane stove on a riverbank, cooking dinner with the company of mountains (and mosquitos).

It’s late in the evening when the sun says goodbye. We bundle up and hunker down, changing awkwardly in the backseat of Patty. To short to sit, to tall to lay, feet to head, we snooze away. Stars or rain pummel down from above. Windows cracked, morning condensation clinging to glass. We rise and shine, hissing kettle, cup of mate. “Like a gaucho” A says.

Inevitably, we need a bath. Strip down, naked by a turquoise ribbon of glacial melt. The water like a baptism. Cold enough to take your breath away. Cold enough to go numb. Cold enough to make us feel wild and holy and clean. Stretch out, naked in the sun. Warming the bones.

Wild land, vast terrain, far from home, we feel small in the midst of it all. Seven weeks, a rental car, a road trip through Patagonia.

Nowhere else I would rather be. Side by side with A. In this certain kind of magic: a tiny car, a big wide world, and the adventure of a lifetime.

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Here is our Patagonia Road Trip Itinerary: 

CHILE via Ruta 7

Puerto Montt: rental car, camping gear & groceries, start of Carretera Austral 

Parque Nacional Alerce Andino featuring the endangered Alerce tree and boasting the oldest tree in the world. 

Pumalin National Park 

Futaleufu, known for the pristine and powerful Futaleufu River, this area is famous for being one of the best places to go rafting in the world. 

Queulat National Park features a lush green rainforest, a beautiful lake, and the stunning Hanging Glacier. 

*Option for hot springs in Puyuhuapi – Termas del Ventisquero with pools overlooking a fjord.

Cerro Castillo National Park: Cerro Castillo lagoon trail leads from the bottom of the valley to the mountains until you reach an insanely blue lagoon with snow-capped peaks in the background. With an elevation gain of 1000 meters, Laguna Cerro Castillo is a difficult day hike.  

*Option for Chalenko Hot Springs. 

Puerto Rio Tranquilo: The Marble Caves are unique rock formations only accessible by boat or kayak. On a clear day, the color and the shapes of the caves combined with the turquoise lake blend together. It’s better to start early in the morning, as the General Carrera Lake can get choppy in the afternoon.

Patagonia National Park: Turbulent rivers, snow-capped mountains, vast grasslands, glaciers, and lakes. The grazing cattle are not here anymore, so you can spot condors, guanacos, or huemuls. Similar to Pumalin, this park is the result of Douglas Tompkins and his wife Kristine’s conservation efforts. In Valle Chacabuco, I hiked the Lagunas Altas trail which climbs up into the mountains for viewpoints across lagoons and the valley that contains much of the park.

Rio Baker Confluence: A short hike leads to the meeting point of the Rio Baker and the Rio Neff, a huge spectacle. 

ARGENTINA via Ruta 40

El Chalten: One of the best hikes from El Chalten is to Laguna de Los Tres, an eight-hour trail to a stunning lake located at the base of Cerro Fitzroy (one of Patagonia’s iconic peaks). 

El Calafate: Los Glaciares National Park-Perito Moreno Glacier – option to go ice trekking here or take a boat! The largest national park in Argentina, Los Glaciares was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 and is part of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, which feeds an impressive 48 glaciers. One of the most visited areas in Argentina, the biggest draw here is the Perito Moreno glacier, a mammoth ice sheet which covers a staggering 250km2 (96 miles2) and runs for 30km (18.6 miles), making it the third biggest freshwater reserve on the planet. Stick around to hear and see the ear-shattering glacial ruptures and to watch the blues and whites intensify as the daylight changes. 

Torres Del Paine: Incredibly popular for backpackers, we opted for day hikes since we didn’t have proper gear or great weather in the forecast. We did a long day hike up to Mirador Los Torres, the gorgeous turquoise lake at the base of the world-famous towers. 

Bariloche & Lakes District: On the northern edge of Patagonia, the 7 lakes route (Ruta de los Siete Lagos in Spanish) winds through the gorgeous scenery of snow-capped mountains, deep, cold lakes, lush native forest, and gushing waterfalls. Bariloche is an Alpine dream located in the breathtaking lake district of Argentine Patagonia. Famous for its chocolate, skiing, and of course, the lakes. We enjoyed the camping outside of El Bolson and the town of San Miguel de Los Andes. Our crossing back into Chile featured a gorgeous drive and mesmerizing campsite with a view of a steaming volcano.